How to Bring Your In-Store Marketing into the 21st Century

The past few years have seen the best of retail times (and the worst of retail times).

On one hand, brick-and-mortar retailers are constantly fighting with online retailers in order to retain their customer base.

But on the other hand, that fighting has forced retailers to evolve and exceed consumer expectations faster than ever.

Your marketing is no exception. Maybe you’re keyed-in to new marketing trends, or maybe your in-store marketing needs a breath of fresh air.

If you’re struggling to join the 21st century, here are a few of-the-moment trends to incorporate into your marketing.

Sustainability

In 2018, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a study estimating that we have just 12 years left to avoid the worst effects of climate change.

So it’s easy to understand why sustainability is more than just a buzzword – it’s a way of life.

Consumers (and retail) are taking note.

Some companies, like REI, have taken active steps to lessen their environmental impact by expanding rental programs. Others, like Burberry, have come under fire for harmful practices in the disposal of items they don’t sell.

If you want your marketing to join the new era, take steps to make your company green – and include those efforts in your marketing.

Brand-as-a-Culture

With so many options, consumers need some way to sort out the noise and find brands they’re willing to return to. So the shoppers of today aren’t shopping with their wallets based on what’s available.

They’re shopping with their emotions.

This has fed into the rise of the brand-as-a-culture. Brands are no longer positioning themselves as retailers, but rather as keepers of culture. They create a brand identity that consumers can personally relate to, a value system that aligns with their metrics.

To bring this method into your brand, take a look at your target audience. Examine who they are, what they care about, what values drive them. Then, see how your brand can match those values (while still staying authentic to who you are).

Loyalty Gets an Update

These days, loyalty programs are about more than just spending X and getting Y. Customers want more value for the money in order to justify their continued membership in the program.

Maybe it’s a members-only social platform. Maybe it’s a members-only store concept. Starbucks is a pioneer in this – they offer a totally personalized experience through their loyalty program, eliminating the need to wait for your order and eliminating the wait to pick it up.

Your program should be so good that any regular customer could look at it and want to join on the spot. You don’t have to give things away, but you should offer demonstrable value for the cost of membership.

Bolder Ad Campaigns

Your ad campaigns should be about so much more than just discounts.

These days, your ads should create a stir.

Your goal shouldn’t just be to create a controversy. You should make a statement with your ads, a statement about who you are and what you stand for as a company.

Will it appeal to everyone? No. You may even lose a few customers who don’t agree with the new direction. But you’ll keep customers who are even more loyal to you for making that statement. And those are customers worth keeping.

Elevating In-Store Experiences Through Digital

Some online giants (looking at you, Amazon) have proudly proclaimed the death of the brick and mortar.

They couldn’t be more wrong.

The analog brick-and-mortar might be out, but smarter brick-and-mortars are in.

Basically, digital has transformed into a backbone of in-person retail. Rather than using it as a gadget, you’re using it to create a complete experience that gives the customer exactly what they’re after.

You can go for smart signs with Raspberry Pi digital signage. You can create interactive maps or use augmented reality to take customers into a whole new world (visually, anyway).

Some retailers have even released a phone app allowing women to visualize clothing items on themselves in-store so that they don’t have to spend so much time waiting for dressing rooms.

Retail as a Service

This is all part of creating a personalized experience for in-person consumers, which is exactly what consumers want.

Think of an online store. Amazon, for example.

When you click on an item, you can read about its features. You can also read customer reviews of the item and get personalized recommendations for similar items or items based on your browsing history.

These days, you can bring a similar experience to in-person shoppers with a store app that allows customers much of the same functionality, even if they’re just browsing after work.

Mastering Your In-Store Marketing

Your in-store marketing is just as important to your success as your digital marketing strategies. The trouble is that many retailers neglect it.

So if you capitalize on your in-store marketing, that leaves you one step ahead of the crowd.

Check out our blog for more useful marketing tips, like these eight tips to make boring social media marketing a thing of the past. If you’re a brand new business, make sure to read about these three marketing expenses new businesses should expect.

Remember, it’s all part of providing the best possible experience for your customers that keeps them coming back for more.